John 11:21-45

Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But I know that even now God will give you anything you ask.” Jesus said, “Your brother will rise and be alive again.” Martha answered, “I know that he will rise to live again at the time of the resurrection on the last day.” Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection. I am life. Everyone who believes in me will have life, even if they die. And everyone who lives and believes in me will never really die. Martha, do you believe this?” Martha answered, “Yes, Lord. I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God. You are the one who was coming to the world.” After Martha said these things, she went back to her sister Mary. She talked to Mary alone and said, “The Teacher is here. He is asking for you.” When Mary heard this, she stood up and went quickly to Jesus. He had not yet come into the village. He was still at the place where Martha met him. The Jews who were in the house comforting Mary saw her get up and leave quickly. They thought she was going to the tomb to cry there. So they followed her. Mary went to the place where Jesus was. When she saw him, she bowed at his feet and said, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” When Jesus saw Mary crying and the people with her crying too, he was very upset and deeply troubled. He asked, “Where did you put him?” They said, “Lord, come and see.” Jesus cried. And the Jews said, “Look! He loved Lazarus very much!” But some of them said, “Jesus healed the eyes of the blind man. Why didn’t he help Lazarus and stop him from dying?” Again feeling very upset, Jesus came to the tomb. It was a cave with a large stone covering the entrance. He said, “Move the stone away.” Martha said, “But, Lord, it has been four days since Lazarus died. There will be a bad smell.” Martha was the sister of the dead man. Then Jesus said to her, “Remember what I told you? I said that if you believed, you would see God’s divine greatness.” So they moved the stone away from the entrance. Then Jesus looked up and said, “Father, I thank you that you heard me. I know that you always hear me. But I said these things because of the people here around me. I want them to believe that you sent me.” After Jesus said this he called in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” The dead man came out. His hands and feet were wrapped with pieces of cloth. He had a handkerchief covering his face. Jesus said to the people, “Take off the cloth and let him go.” There were many Jews who came to visit Mary. When they saw what Jesus did, many of them believed in him.